Werner Düggelin (7 December 1929 – 6 August 2020) was a Swiss theatre director.
Werner Düggelin
on VIAF
Life
Provenance and early years
Düggelin was born in Zurich. He grew up in Siebnen (Canton of Schwyz
The canton of Schwyz (german: Kanton Schwyz rm, Chantun Sviz; french: Canton de Schwytz; it, Canton Svitto) is a canton in central Switzerland between the Alps in the south, Lake Lucerne to the west and Lake Zürich in the north, centred on ...
), a small village close to the southern end of Lake Zürich
__NOTOC__
Lake Zurich ( Swiss German/Alemannic: ''Zürisee''; German: ''Zürichsee''; rm, Lai da Turitg) is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zürich. Depending on the context, Lake Zurich or ''Zürichsee'' can be used to ...
. Slightly unusually for the time, he was born into a family without any stated religious affiliation.[ The Düggelin family had been established in the socially and politically complicated Ausserschwyz region for several generations. Josef Düggelin, his father, was a cantonal councillor (''"Kantonsrat"'') and, by trade, a ]joiner
A joiner is an artisan and tradesperson who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in ...
. Werner Düggelin attended schools successively in Siebnen, Engelberg
, neighboring_municipalities = Attinghausen (UR), Gadmen (BE), Innertkirchen (BE), Isenthal (UR), Wassen (UR), Wolfenschiessen (NW)
, twintowns=
Engelberg (lit.: ''mountain of angel(s)'') is a village resort and a municipality in the canton ...
, Trogen Trogen may refer to:
People
* Karl-Erling Trogen (born 1946)
Places
* Trogen, Switzerland
Trogen is a municipality in the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden in Switzerland. The town is the seat of the canton's judicial authorities.
History
The ...
and Neuchâtel
, neighboring_municipalities= Auvernier, Boudry, Chabrey (VD), Colombier, Cressier, Cudrefin (VD), Delley-Portalban (FR), Enges, Fenin-Vilars-Saules, Hauterive, Saint-Blaise, Savagnier
, twintowns = Aarau (Switzerland), Besançon (France), ...
. According to one source he was required to leave both the "Monastery School" in Engelberg and the "Convict School" in Trogen (both subsequently renamed) "early".[ Spending the final part of his school career in the ]Francophone
French became an international language in the Middle Ages, when the power of the Kingdom of France made it the second international language, alongside Latin. This status continued to grow into the 18th century, by which time French was the l ...
west of Switzerland meant that he had to undertake his "Matura" (school finals) in French rather than in one of the dialects of Swiss German
Swiss German (Standard German: , gsw, Schwiizerdütsch, Schwyzerdütsch, Schwiizertüütsch, Schwizertitsch Mundart,Because of the many different dialects, and because there is no defined orthography for any of them, many different spelling ...
which would have been his mother-tongue
A first language, native tongue, native language, mother tongue or L1 is the first language or dialect that a person has been exposed to from birth or within the critical period. In some countries, the term ''native language'' or ''mother tongu ...
as a young boy.[ He moved on to the ]University of Zurich
The University of Zürich (UZH, german: Universität Zürich) is a public research university located in the city of Zürich, Switzerland. It is the largest university in Switzerland, with its 28,000 enrolled students. It was founded in 1833 f ...
where between 1947 and 1949 he studied Romance literature and culture (''"Romanistics"''), "briefly, and without success" (as he himself later recalled). He never completed the course or received a degree.[ Till he reached the age of around 20, as he much later told Beatrice von Matt, Werner Düggelin had never been inside a theatre. His first visit was to the Zürich Playhouse sitting in a box high up on the right side of the auditorium, he experienced what he described as a "coup de foudre"". He knew at once that the theatre was his vocation, not as an actor but as a director: "I cannot say what it was - it was just crazy."][
]
Zürich, Paris
He found his way into theatre by working as a lighting assistant at the Zürich Playhouse during the 1948/49 season. It was Leopold Lindtberg
Leopold Lindtberg (born in Vienna on 1 June 1902; died in Sils im Engadin/Segl on 18 April 1984) was an Austrian Swiss film and theatre director. He fled Austria due to the Machtergreifung in Germany and ultimately settled in Switzerland.
His ...
, the director at the Playhouse, who recommended that he should progress his career in Paris and helped with the arrangements. During 1949/50 Düggelin worked as a Theater manager
A theater manager, also called a general manager, managing director, or intendant (UK English and German), is the administrator of a theater. They often also have the responsibilities of an artistic director but in any case oversee all administra ...
at Asnières on the north-western outskirts of the French capital.[ Starting in 1950 he worked in Paris with the director ]Roger Blin
Roger Blin (Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, 22 March 1907 – Évecquemont, France, 21 January 1984) was a French actor and director. He staged world premieres of Samuel Beckett's '' Waiting for Godot'' in 1953 and ''Endgame'' in 1957.C. J. Ackerl ...
on a succession of projects:[ "I was completely devoured by France ... Blin was simply the greatest. n Blin's theatre I sawwhat theatre is".]
Pioneer
Between 1952 and 1963 Düggelin worked as a freelance theatre director in Switzerland and abroad.[ Back in Zürich he worked with Blin on the German language premiere of " Waiting for Godot"! At the end of 1954 they were ready to present it, which they did on the so-called "Pfauenbühne" (''"Peacock Stage"'') of the Zürich Playhouse. It was Werner Düggelin who had translated the text from Beckett's English language original, and he then worked on it as Blin's production assistant. Unfortunately the good citizens of Zürich were not in a mood for the ]avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
. Ticket sales were "miserable". "The public stayed away".[
In the mid-1950s Düggelin started staging his own productions, starting at the "Teater am Central" in Zürich with a successful stage production of a German language stage production of Steinbeck's ]Of Mice and Men
''Of Mice and Men'' is a novella written by John Steinbeck. Published in 1937, it narrates the experiences of George Milton and Lennie Small, two displaced migrant ranch workers, who move from place to place in California in search of new job o ...
.[ A career breakthrough came at the Staatstheater in ]Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...
(West Germany
West Germany is the colloquial term used to indicate the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG; german: Bundesrepublik Deutschland , BRD) between its formation on 23 May 1949 and the German reunification through the accession of East Germany on 3 O ...
) in 1957 with his Darmstadt
Darmstadt () is a city in the States of Germany, state of Hesse in Germany, located in the southern part of the Frankfurt Rhine Main Area, Rhine-Main-Area (Frankfurt Metropolitan Region). Darmstadt has around 160,000 inhabitants, making it th ...
production of Goethe's
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (28 August 1749 – 22 March 1832) was a German people, German poet, playwright, novelist, scientist, politician, statesman, theatre director, and critic. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe bibliography, His works include pla ...
Urfaust (the precursor to the better known later version of Faust
Faust is the protagonist of a classic German legend based on the historical Johann Georg Faust ( 1480–1540).
The erudite Faust is highly successful yet dissatisfied with his life, which leads him to make a pact with the Devil at a crossroads ...
). It was also at Darmstadt that he directed the German language premiere of Marcel Achard's "Darf ich mitspielen?" (''"Might I play with you?"'').[ Staging productions in German of the work of non-German language dramatists has become a theme in Düggelin's career. Along with playwrights already mentioned, Düggelin has been among the first to stage German production of works by ]Eugène Ionesco
Eugène Ionesco (; born Eugen Ionescu, ; 26 November 1909 – 28 March 1994) was a Romanian-French playwright who wrote mostly in French, and was one of the foremost figures of the French avant-garde theatre in the 20th century. Ionesco inst ...
, Georges Schehadé Georges may refer to:
Places
* Georges River, New South Wales, Australia
* Georges Quay (Dublin)
*Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania
Other uses
*Georges (name)
* ''Georges'' (novel), a novel by Alexandre Dumas
* "Georges" (song), a 19 ...
, Albert Camus
Albert Camus ( , ; ; 7 November 1913 – 4 January 1960) was a French philosopher, author, dramatist, and journalist. He was awarded the 1957 Nobel Prize in Literature at the age of 44, the second-youngest recipient in history. His work ...
, Jean Genet
Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels ''The Thief's ...
and Paul Claudel
Paul Claudel (; 6 August 1868 – 23 February 1955) was a French poet, dramatist and diplomat, and the younger brother of the sculptor Camille Claudel. He was most famous for his verse dramas, which often convey his devout Catholicism.
Early lif ...
.[ In 1956 he directed at the ]Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
n Staatsschauspiel (theatre) in Munich
Munich ( ; german: München ; bar, Minga ) is the capital and most populous city of the States of Germany, German state of Bavaria. With a population of 1,558,395 inhabitants as of 31 July 2020, it is the List of cities in Germany by popu ...
, where his work included a memorable production of Bidermann's Cenodoxus
''Cenodoxus'' is one of several miracle plays by Jacob Bidermann, an early 17th-century German Jesuit and prolific playwright.
Jacob Bidermann's treatment of the Legend of the Doctor of Paris is generally regarded as one of the inspirations for ...
.[ Over the next few years he guested as a stage director at some of the most important theatres in the ]German-speaking world
This article details the geographical distribution of speakers of the German language, regardless of the legislative status within the countries where it is spoken. In addition to the German-speaking area (german: Deutscher Sprachraum) in Europe, ...
, notably in Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
, Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
and Stuttgart
Stuttgart (; Swabian: ; ) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Baden-Württemberg. It is located on the Neckar river in a fertile valley known as the ''Stuttgarter Kessel'' (Stuttgart Cauldron) and lies an hour from the ...
.[ He has also, more recently, dabbled in opera.][ In 1963 he staged ]Pinkas Braun
Pinkas Braun (7 January 1923 – 24 June 2008) was a Swiss film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1952 and 2002. He was born in Zürich, Switzerland and died in Munich, Germany.
Partial filmography
* ''Sky Without Stars'' (1955) - Kom ...
's German language version of Edward Albee
Edward Franklin Albee III ( ; March 12, 1928 – September 16, 2016) was an American playwright known for works such as ''The Zoo Story'' (1958), '' The Sandbox'' (1959), ''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (1962), '' A Delicate Balance'' (1966) ...
's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
''Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' is a play by Edward Albee first staged in October 1962. It examines the complexities of the marriage of a middle-aged couple, Martha and George. Late one evening, after a university faculty party, they receive ...
" at Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
.[ It was also in 1963 that he exchanged his freelance status for a permanent position as stage director at the Zürich Playhouse, still under the overall direction of his mentor and the man who had helped him break into the world of theatre more than ten years earlier, ]Leopold Lindtberg
Leopold Lindtberg (born in Vienna on 1 June 1902; died in Sils im Engadin/Segl on 18 April 1984) was an Austrian Swiss film and theatre director. He fled Austria due to the Machtergreifung in Germany and ultimately settled in Switzerland.
His ...
.[
]
Basel
In 1968 Werner Düggelin moved to Basel
, french: link=no, Bâlois(e), it, Basilese
, neighboring_municipalities= Allschwil (BL), Hégenheim (FR-68), Binningen (BL), Birsfelden (BL), Bottmingen (BL), Huningue (FR-68), Münchenstein (BL), Muttenz (BL), Reinach (BL), Riehen (BS ...
, a more culturally dynamic and diverse city than Zürich, after accepting an appointment as director of the City Theatre. This marked the beginning of what several commentators identify as a golden age for the Basel Theatre. Supported by an exceptional team, he oversaw a succession of engaged and politically tinted productions which caught the spirit of a new generation, provoking commentators and moving audiences to take a more frequent interest in Basel theatre productions.[
]
Grand old man
After 1975 Düggelin again worked on a freelance basis, regularly returning to work in Zürich and Basel, but still sometimes stepping further afield.[ For three years, between 1988 and 1991, he ran the Swiss Cultural Centre in ]Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
which had been set up in 1985. He is described by Étienne Dumont
Pierre Étienne Louis Dumont (18 January or 18 July 1759 – 29 September 1829), sometimes anglicised as Stephen Dumont, was a Swiss French political writer. He is chiefly remembered as the French editor of the writings of the English philosop ...
as the first independent head of the centre.[ His predecessor, Otto Ceresa, had been a part-time director who had combined his duties with his principal job as a senior manager at ]Pro Helvetia
The foundation Pro Helvetia is a public foundation of Switzerland.
Presidents
*From 1939 to 1943, Heinrich Häberlin.
*From 1944 to 1952, Paul Lachenal.
*From 1952 to 1964, Jean-Rodolphe de Salis.
*From 1965 to 1970, Michael Stettler.
*From 1971 ...
. Before that, as initially configured, the centre was run on a collegiate basis by a group of six individuals.
Later productions included Beckett's "Endgame" (1994) and Molière's "The Misanthrope
''The Misanthrope, or the Cantankerous Lover'' (french: Le Misanthrope ou l'Atrabilaire amoureux; ) is a 17th-century comedy of manners in verse written by Molière. It was first performed on 4 June 1666 at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal, Paris b ...
" (1997), both at Zürich
Zürich () is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zürich. It is located in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zürich. As of January 2020, the municipality has 43 ...
. A number of tribute pieces published in celebration of Düggelin's ninetieth birthday made the point that, despite his advanced age, he was still working at the profession he loved, his ear for the dramatists' true intent more acutely tuned than ever.[
Though Düggelin was primarily revered as a stage director, completeness requires mention of his television work. Some of his best recalled small-screen adaptations and productions included "]L'Histoire du soldat
' (''The Soldier's Tale'') is a theatrical work "to be read, played, and danced" () by three actors and one or several dancers, accompanied by a septet of instruments. Conceived by Igor Stravinsky and Swiss writer C. F. Ramuz, the piece was bas ...
" (1975) by Ramuz, "The Black Spider
''The Black Spider'' is a novella by the Swiss writer Jeremias Gotthelf written in 1842. Set in an idyllic frame story, old legends are worked into a Christian-humanist allegory about ideas of good and evil. Though the novel is initially divide ...
" (1986) by Gotthelf
Gotthelf is a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include:
Given name:
*Gotthelf Bergsträsser (1886–1933), German linguist specializing in Semitic studies
* Esriel Gotthelf Carlebach (1909–1956), journalist during the early ...
and a "Hommage to Tinguely" (1989).[ ]Swiss
Swiss may refer to:
* the adjectival form of Switzerland
* Swiss people
Places
* Swiss, Missouri
* Swiss, North Carolina
*Swiss, West Virginia
* Swiss, Wisconsin
Other uses
*Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports
*Swiss Internation ...
artists with whom he worked include Jean Tinguely
Jean Tinguely (22 May 1925 – 30 August 1991) was a Swiss sculptor best known for his kinetic art sculptural machines (known officially as Métamatics) that extended the Dada tradition into the later part of the 20th century. Tinguely's art s ...
, Eva Aeppli
Eva Aeppli (2 May 1925 – 4 May 2015) was a Swiss artist.
Personal life
Born on 2 May 1925 in Zofingen, Switzerland, Aeppli spent her childhood in Basel where she attended the School of Decorative Arts. Her father was a Waldorf educator and c ...
, Bernhard Luginbühl and Schang Hutter.[
]
Honours and awards
Stagings (selection)
Sources
*
* 2004
Notes
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Duggelin, Werner
1929 births
2020 deaths
People from the canton of Schwyz
Swiss theatre directors